by
The Shoreline Occupational Therapy Staff
last updated January 2014
Table of Contents
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What Problems Do You See?
What is the Progression for Holding
Scissors and Cutting?
Planning a Cutting Task
What is the Progression When
Executing a Cutting Task?
Activities Which Support Hand
Development
Activities Which Support Thumbs In
Upward Position
Activities That Support Finger Control
For Holding Scissors
Activities Which Support Using Both
Hands
References and Resources
What Problems Do You See?
• Thumb down and/or fingers splayed
• Scissors close to palm vs. in fingers
• Jagged cutting and poor control of opening
and closing of scissors
• Paper and scissors are resting on the table
throughout the cutting task
• Child has difficulty controlling paper and
scissors at the same time
• Child doesn’t know where to make first cut
• Child cuts without ever rotating paper
Do you see this?
thumb down
two hands
on joint
fingers splayed
Child cuts without ever letting go of the paper.
Notice that both hands are at the right of midline.
Or this?
Child uses table for support.
Child’s thumbs are down for both
the working and holding hand.
Child cannot figure out
how to get to the shape
without a marker line.
Why?
• Finger and hand control are immature
– Using whole hand to cut versus using thumb and
first two fingers to control scissors
– Using the table to support themselves because
they have limited control in the fingers
• Poor Motor Planning
– Lack of specific instruction on how to approach
and execute cutting task
– Some children with motor planning problems need
more opportunities with specific instruction
Progression for developing control of scissors
Part 1
1. Child demonstrates interest in scissors
2. Child experiments with opening and closing
scissors, not necessarily cutting paper(hand position
may vary)
3. Child orients scissor blades to paper to begin
snipping (hands do not rest on table)
Progression for developing control of scissors
Part 2
4. Child gains more finger control with the scissors
positioned toward fingertips
5. Child begins to cut in a forward motion across a 4inch strip of paper without adjusting holding hand
Progression for developing control of scissors
Part 3
6. Child uses one hand to adjust paper
while the other hand controls the
scissors, cutting across an 8-inch wide
piece of paper
7. Move helper/holding hand up the
paper as the scissors pass
Progression for developing control of scissors
Part 4
8. Child cuts forward on a line
9. Child cuts turning corner(s)
– Cutting past the shape/line to the edge of the paper before
rotating
– Rotate the paper, not the scissors, to cut around the corner
– Scissors stay pointing away from child’s body
Progression for developing control of scissors
Part 5
10. Child cuts out straight-line shapes (square, rectangle)
11. Child cuts out curved-line shapes (circle, oval)
12. Child cuts out complex shapes (heart, star, hand)
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Notice that the two hands must shift between the tasks of moving and holding.
For example, one hand holds while the other opens and closes the scissors
blades, then the scissors hand must hold while the holding hand shifts position
on the paper.
Planning a Cutting Task
 Pick up scissors with thumb in small hole and fingers in large
hole (may need to orient the scissors on the table for the child)
 Hold onto the piece you want to keep when you cut
 If there is more than one shape on the sheet, cut shapes apart
from each other
 Cut out each shape
 If the child can’t figure out how to get to the shape with the
scissors, the child could draw a line to the shape from the edge
of the paper
 Child pre-plans where there are corners/curves
What is the progression when
executing a cutting task?
• Thumbs point upward for both the paper-holding hand and
scissor-holding hand
• Looks ahead to plan size of cuts and speed of cutting
• Begins cutting task
• Keeps scissors pointed forward and rotates paper with
helping hand when turning corners or curves
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(Does not turn scissors)
• Place paper all the way into the scissors, not at the tip. Do
not close scissors all the way, close about ½ way. As you
open scissors again, glide forward. Close scissors all the
way when you reach the end.
 Right-handed: cut in a counter-clockwise direction around shape.
 Left-handed: cut in a clockwise direction around shape.
Activities Which Support Hand
Development
• Lying on your stomach, supported on
forearms while playing games or doing
class work
• Playing on bars (hanging, swinging)
• Playing with play-doh
• Turning a jump rope for peers
• Chair push-ups when seated at desk
• Working on upright surfaces such as the
chalkboard or easel
Activities Which Support Thumbs
In Upward Position
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Playing card games, especially being the dealer
Hole punch
Squirt bottle for watering plants
Snapping fingers
Games with small pieces to manipulate
(Tricky Fingers or Tiddly Winks)
• Turning a key in a lock or on a wind-up toy
Activities That Support Finger
Control For Holding Scissors
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Eye droppers
Tongs
Clothes pins
Pennies in bank
Pegs
Unifix cubes
Opening bottles, jars
Activities Which Support Using Both
Hands
• Stringing beads
• Lacing cards
• Cooking activities (cutting, stirring
etc.)
• Ripping, tearing, crumpling paper
• All dressing activities. Try a dressing
relay race
References and Resources
• Klein, Marsha, Pre-Scissor Skills, Therapy Skill Builders,
1987
• Knight and Gilpin Decker, Hands at Work and Play,
Therapy Skill Builders, 1994
(activities only)